EDITORIAL: The trees that we all treasure

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. _ You don't have to be a tree hugger to be livid over the malicious poisoning of some iconic live oak trees in the heart of the Auburn University campus.

The beloved trees are on Toomer's Corner where students for decades have celebrated Tiger victories by rolling them with toilet paper.

Auburn horticulturists offer grim hope that the trees can survive. Tree experts are working furiously to save them using charcoal applications to absorb the poison, Spike 80DF, and special watering techniques to keep it from spreading.

What a despicable act. An unfortunate twist is that it was allegedly done by a University of Alabama fan. Expressions of shock and grief from UA leaders, students and fans affirms that even the most faithful supporters of Auburn's arch-rival disapprove. The Auburn family must avoid any temptation to view this as anything other than an act of vandalism by a very sick individual.

Police believe Updyke is the same person who identified himself as "Al" from Dadeville on Paul Finebaum's sports radio show last month and stated he had poisoned the trees.

Updyke will have his day in court. A similar tree poisoning in Austin, Texas, in 1989 netted the offender a $1,000 fine and a nine-year prison sentence.

College football is huge in Alabama. It's especially big-time now with Alabama and Auburn winning back to back national titles and boasting consecutive Heisman trophy winners.

Sometimes, excited or enraged people do crazy things. And college campuses are rife with crazy pranks.

Auburn has had its share of them, like the students who put Mickey Mouse hands on the clock hands of towering Sanford Hall or the time a real cow (named Bessie complete with flyer photo above the slogan, "Not just another drop in the bucket) was promoted as homecoming queen - and won the student vote.

The poisoning of 130-year-old live oak trees goes beyond crazy.

It's downright evil.

The live oaks at Toomer's Corner have captured the hearts of visitors for generations. There have been plenty of marriage proposals under them and of course the victory celebrations after Auburn wins.

Special trees that become threatened often draw tree-savers out of the woodwork. Remember the ralliers that tried to save Inspiration Oak, the 500-year-old live oak in Baldwin County vandalized in a landowner dispute in 1990? The tree was girdled around its base with a chainsaw. The dead tree now stands as the eerie centerpiece of its park in Magnolia Springs, Ala.

And who could forget the communitywide effort to relocate a giant dogwood to the Huntsville Botanical Gardens in 1995 to save it from a city road project. The tree is now dying of old age.

We hold out hope that tree experts can find a way to save Auburn's majestic oaks. And that incidents like the Toomer's tragedy will never be repeated - anywhere.